ESSENCE’s celebration of Hip-Hop’s 50th Anniversary continued on Day 2 of the 2023 ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca Cola, as down south legends hit the stage for a special tribute to the city that shaped the genre for nearly two decades, Atlanta, GA.
Legendary producer, rapper, songwriter, and DJ Jermaine Dupri curated a special tribute set, entitled “The South Got Something To Say,” not only paying homage to Outkast’s now-prophetic acceptance speech for Best New Artist at the 1995 Source Awards, but highlighting some of his contemporaries and collaborators that placed the South and the city on the map from the late 90’s through today.
Opening his set with an on-screen montage of his inspirations and influences, including Peabo Bryson and Cameo and clips of his early successful acts like Kris Kross, Dupri took the stage and immediately launched into a celebration of the subgenre of Hip-Hop he helped popularize nationwide: snap music.
Launching into his verse on “I Think They Like Me,” the veteran rapper was joined onstage by Dem Franchize Boyz and a team of dancers leading the crowd in snap-dance.
Next, Dupri brought out collaborator and New Orleans native Curren$y to perform their Festival of Culture tribute “ESSENCE Fest” live for the very crowd and culture the song shouts out.
After launching into a run-through of multiple hits he wrote and or produced, including Jay-Z’s “Money Ain’t a Thing,” Ari Lennox’s “Pressure,” Usher & Alicia Keys’ “My Boo,” and Nelly’s “Grillz,” Dupri then introduced his next special guest: Big Boi.
One half of the pioneering Hip-Hop duo Outkast, Big Boi was sure to touch on some of their hits like “So Fresh & So Clean,” “Miss Jackson,” and Speakerboxx/The Love Below hit, “The Way You Move” with crooner Sleepy Brown at his side.
Donning a knee-length fur stroller despite New Orlean’s ongoing heatwave, the rapper then launched into “Kryptonite (I’m on It),” followed by his beloved verse on MGK’s “Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You).”
“Can I keep turning it up??” Dupri asked to raucous cheers from the crowd, before next bringing out Gucci Mane, who opened his trap-heavy set with a rendition of his verse from 2016’s hit “Both” featuring Drake.
The self-proclaimed Human Glacier dripped in diamonds over an all-black ensemble as he sent the crowd into a frenzy with a performance of his 2009 smash hit “Wasted.”
Next, the self-proclaimed King of the South, T.I. took the stage to perform some of his biggest hits, including “What You Know,” “Whatever You Like,” and “Live Your Life.”
As T.I. exited, Lil Jon took the stage, sending the crowd into an uproar with his hits “I Don’t Give A…,” “BIA BIA,” and Ying Yang Twins’ club classic “Get Low.”
Ludacris later joined Lil Jon and Dupri on stage to launch into their joint classics like Usher’s “Yeah!” and “Lovers & Friends” before closing out the set with the enduring ode to ATL, “Welcome to Atlanta.”
“ESSENCE, we love y’all” Ludacris declared as stage lights went dark and the crowd was left reeling from an energy-filled set.